Joe Biden is likely the most unpopular president of my lifetime–so unpopular that he had to drop out of the presidential race just weeks before the Democratic National Convention despite already winning the vast majority of delegates needed to secure the nomination for a second time.1 Donald Trump’s recent political comeback has left some wondering if swapping Biden out for Kamala Harris was the right move by the Democratic Party. Whether it was or wasn’t is something that’s going to be debated extensively during the coming weeks as political pundits and party elites try to explain why Harris lost both the popular vote and electoral vote by relatively large margins.
Maybe it’s because Joe Biden was not as inept of a president as the media portrayed. I would argue that Biden is, in fact, an incredibly accomplished president, passing historic legislation that is widely popular and striking a delicate balance on many political issues to keep the country unified.
Let’s examine his presidency on an issue-by-issue level. With respect to economics, arguably the most important issue for most Americans, Biden passed significant legislation to improve the lives of working class Americans while steering clear of being perceived as a “socialist” writ-large. Biden passed historic legislation, such as the American Rescue Plan in early 2021, ultimately saving the United States from a possibly cataclysmic recession.2 Unemployment and poverty reduced dramtically, while the overall GDP growth rate improved dramatically.3 Less than a year later, Biden would pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which would be the largest investment of infrastructure in the history of the United States and pass nearly 70 votes in the senate, a rare consensus for a bill of this magnitude.45 All of this was only during his first year in office.
In year 2 he continued to take advantage of the Democratic congressional majority by passing the largest climate investment in American history, allocating over three hundred billion dollars towards clean energy initiatives, such as renewable energy projects and electric vehicle subsidies.67 In the same bill, he renewed the Affordable Care Act, keeping healthcare accessible to tens of millions of Americans, and tackled inflation by reducing hundreds of billions of dollars of the federal deficit.8 Conservative commentators including Larry Kudlow from Fox News, Ben Shapiro from the Daily Wire, and Charlie Kirk from Turning Point USA all confidently predicted a looming recession during the Biden administration–a recession which Kudlow himself later admitted never materialized.9 Shapiro and many other conservatives claimed that a “soft landing” wasn’t possible, where the government could successfully calm inflation and keep unemployment low.
It seemed impossible–until it happened. The inflation rate is currently 2.6% and unemployment is at 4.1%, yet over 60% of voters still believe that the economy is headed in the wrong direction.101112 After passing the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden then passed the CHIPS act which reshored semiconductor manufacturing to the United States–a critical measure for national security and economic prosperity. He then pushed forward another bill which would provide healthcare to veterans exposed by toxic burns. On the domestic policy front, Biden improved the lives of millions of Americans and demonstrated a remarkable ability to pass impactful legislation even in a polarized environment..
On the foreign policy front, he struck a balance on many critical issues, most notably the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas war. With regards to the Russian incursion into Ukraine, Biden was careful to ensure that we avoid sending troops to Ukraine and prevent extreme escalation into a possible nuclear war. That said, he also made it clear to the American people and to the world that the United States unequivocally supports Ukraine. He’s provided hundreds of billions of dollars in military funding to stave off Russia and has passed significant sanctions to ensure that the United States’ moral position on this issue remains clear.
While it can be easily argued that this war is a clear-cut issue, the Israel-Hamas war is much more nuanced. On October 7th, Hamas launched a brutal attack on Israel, killing over 1,000 civilians and taking hundreds of hostages. Israel’s subsequent response to this horrific attack has been highly controversial, with over 44,000 reported Palestinian civilian deaths thus far, 17,000 of which have been children.13 Polling shows that the majority of Americans continue to support Israel. Nearly 70% of Americans say that a ceasefire should only occur once Hamas is removed from power and all of the hostages are returned, and nearly 80% favor Israel in the war over Hamas.14 The vast majority of Democrats, meanwhile, sympathize more with Palestinians during this conflict.15
Given this contention between his base and the generalized perception amongst the American public, Biden again demonstrated his ability to strike a balance on foreign policy issues. While he has provided billions in aid to Israel, he has also been clear in his condemnation of the Israeli Defense Force’s military action that has caused thousands of civilian casualties. He tangibly contributed to reducing casualties in Gaza by pressuring Israel to establish humanitarian corridors and allowing the safe passage of critical aid into the region, a move that saved countless lives amidst the escalating violence.
Amongst both Republicans and Democrats, there is still widespread disapproval of how Biden is handling the war. Some believe he is too harsh on Israel, while others believe that he is too permissive of their military campaign. Striking a balance between these opposing views has been extremely difficult, leaving no side satisfied, but it is arguably a much better approach than blindly catering to one side and completely alienating everyone who disagrees. The disapproval of his handling of this conflict demonstrates in the polling is not necessarily indicative that he is doing a “bad job.” The reality is that moderation can be a difficult pill to swallow for many, but it’s essential for fostering stability and bridging divides in the country.
Joe Biden’s presidency may not have been universally popular, but it was undoubtedly consequential. He has steered the country through turbulent economic challenges, passing historic legislation and striking a delicate balance on very complex issues, both domestic and foreign. While his presidency will continue to be debated, Biden’s legacy will be one of pragmatic leadership during such a time of great division. It will be remembered as a presidency about progress and resilience, one trying to bridge divides in a polarized nation.
References
1. https://www.cnn.com/election/2024/primaries-and-caucuses/results/democratic-party/president?election-data-id=2024-PD&election-painting-mode=projection&filter-key-races=false&filter-flipped=false
2. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-arp-grew-the-economy-reduced-poverty-and-eased-financial-hardship-for-millions/
3. https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2024/11/01/how-the-economy-really-fared-under-bidenharris-and- trump-from-jobs-to-inflation-final-update/
4. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/11/06/fact-sheet-the-bipartisan-infra structure-deal/
5. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684/all-actions#:~:text=Yea%2DNay%20Vote.-,69%20%2D%2030,Record%20Vote%20Number%3A%20314.
6. https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Inflation-Reduction-Act-Guidebook.pdf
7. https://www.resources.org/archives/understanding-the-inflation-reduction-act/
8. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-inflation-reduction-act-still-reduces-the-deficit/#:~:text=to%2 0the%20section-,The%20IRA%20reduces%20the%20deficit%20in%20the%20long%20run,end%20in%2 02034%20or%20earlier.
9. https://www.newsweek.com/former-trump-advisor-praises-joe-biden-economy-i-was-wrong-1866232
10. https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/current-inflation-rates/
11. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf
12. https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/state-of-the-union/direction-of-country
13. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/around-17-000-children-killed-in-israeli-war-on-gaza-palestinian-aut horities-say/3345611
14. https://thehill.com/policy/international/4629597-americans-israel-hamas-gaza-student-protests-poll/https:// thehill.com/policy/international/4629597-americans-israel-hamas-gaza-student-protests-poll/
15. https://www.dataforprogress.org/blog/2024/2/27/voters-support-the-us-calling-for-permanent-ceasefire-in- gaza-and-conditioning-military-aid-to-israelhttps://www.dataforprogress.org/blog/2024/2/27/voters-support
-the-us-calling-for-permanent-ceasefire-in-gaza-and-conditioning-military-aid-to-israel
